The Power of a GOOY Experience

Now that GOOY (Go Out Of Your way) is in our vocabulary let's figure out why a "GOOY Experience" is so powerful and what that means to Word of Mouth.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, than what's an experience worth? The only value I can come up with is "priceless". Priceless because even though, for the most part, we as people are visual learners, pictures still only tell part of the story.

For example, let's say you're interested in traveling to Italy. You want to find out as much as can before you go so you start by reading a brochure describing Italy and some of its characteristics.

Do you really have a clear understanding of what to expect just from reading a brochure?

Next, you go online and discover a photo album of Venice. Hundreds of photos of everything from the historic architecture to the meadering gondolas. Wow, nothing like a photo to do everything words are unable to do in presenting the beauty of Italy. But, are you convinced and ready to travel?

Finally, you run in to a close and trusted friend who just happens to have returned from a trip to Venice. As you visit she shares with you in detail what she experienced. She describes with great emotion, the sounds, the smells, and what it felt like to be in Venice.

She recounts for you her interactions with the local residents, directs you on where to eat and which hotels really provide a true Italian experience. Then continues with what time of the day is best for experiencing a gondola and which canals provide the most desirable views.

She answers every question you have about what to expect when visiting Venice. The only thing beyond the power of her experience is the experience you gain on your visit to Venice.

This is where GOOY Word of Mouth really gets it's brawn. Words and pictures can in no way compare the the Experience of a Trusted source! Short of the source you trust the most, YOU, this close friend did more in convincing you that Venice was worth your time and money than any brocure or photo could ever do.

Whether you are quick to take risks or do all that you can to avoid them, at some point you're going to want to know the experience of someone that went before you.

In the next post we'll talk about WHY the experience of another is so important to us.